Five of Windsor’s councillors — half — have been on council for more than a decade. One has been on council for two decades. Two others have been on for 17 years.

Six councillors — more than half — are in their 60s or older. One is 82. Another turns 71 this year.

Only one is a woman.

Voters should think about this as more and more candidates register for the municipal election this fall.

Someone who has been on council for just short of forever can still contribute. Look at the records of the last several councils — tax freezes, lower debt, higher reserves, the arena, aquatic centre, deals to move the college and university downtown.

With Mayor Eddie Francis and at least two veteran councillors not running for re-election, some experienced councillors will be needed for continuity and to finish projects that have already started, like the new city hall and civic square.

In this file photo, Coun. Ron Jones listens during a city council meeting at city hall in Windsor on Monday, September 9, 2013. (TYLER BROWNBRIDGE/The Windsor Star)

But when voters see the familiar names on the growing list of candidates, they should ask, are they still effective?

I’m not saying that senior citizens can’t contribute, either. Ward 9 Coun. Hilary Payne is in his 80s, and he’s a proponent of separate bike lanes, a very progressive idea. But we need young people, too.

“We have a problem with youth exiting Windsor,” said Ronna Warsh, a former, longtime senior administrator at the city, now a leadership coach, “so having that demographic that connects to youth and understands what kind of city they want is critically important.”

It was a group of young candidates in the last election who talked about the arts, bike paths, urban gardens and markets — things the council at the time didn’t get.

Councillors Irek Kusmierczyk and Bill Marra have taken on six student “advisors” who attend council, committee and board meetings, write reports on issues and even vote on recommendations. They converse with Kusmierczyk and Marra via Google Docs during meetings and meet after to talk about what happened.

“That’s been really exciting,” Kusmierczyk said, “to see just how engaged and inquisitive and smart students are about issues.”

He’s curious to see how the young people will vote compared to councillors.

He’d like all 10 councillors to take on students.

“It has the potential to introduce a lot of young people to the inner workings of municipal council.”

Five of the six youths are women. Kusmierczyk pitched the idea to WESucceed, a federal government program that encourages women to enter fields where they’re under-represented, like science, math, engineering and government. Only 26 per cent of municipal councillors in Canada are women; only 16 per cent of mayors are women.

“That’s really important,” said Warsh. “Women’s issues are sometimes different than men’s issues. Women pay attention to certain issues affecting family and community in a different way than men.”

Windsor is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in Canada, but you wouldn’t know that looking at council. Has there ever been an Asian councillor?

Investment and jobs are the biggest issues the city faces, yet there are few councillors from the private sector.

“They are the ones who have to follow the rules others make,” a private sector source told me. “The private sector is where tax revenue is derived from. The private sector really pays the bills. It would be nice to have someone who has day-to-day experience in what those pressures are.”

We’re creating an arts hub, but there is no one from the arts on council, either.

A more diverse council has the potential to better engage and represent a diverse city.

But above all, I want to see candidates who bring vision and ideas, engage constituents, think critically. I want people with experience, not necessarily political experience, as Francis points out, but life experience that allows them to look at a problem and make a decision. I want someone who cares, is prepared to work and will be part of a team.

“It’s like a row boat,” said Warsh. “If you row in the same direction, you’re going to get there. You can have a view that’s contrary. But you need to sometimes take your lumps and say the majority voted for this so I’m going to support it.”

Campaigning is one thing; executing in government is another, said Francis. So look for integrity; it will be the hardest to discern among the plethora of promises that will begin this summer.

“The bottom line,” he said, “is you want someone who’s prepared to do the job for the right reasons, not just to occupy the position, not to use the position as a stepping stone, but to actually do something, who really wants to commit themselves to the city and is prepared to check any baggage at the door, who’s prepared to do the right thing without any loyalties but to the taxpayer.”

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